In India, a majority of the students have been inclined towards MBBS making it one of the most sought-after degrees. There are approximately 50,000 MBBS seats in India and the number of applicants for NEET in 2018is 13 Lakhs. To top it off, most of the private medical colleges have skyscraping fees far beyond a normal middle-class student’s reach. The recent scenario of the Medical Education system in India firmly suggests a student study medicine abroad. So, how do you decide which is the Best Country? You need to be wise while you lay the groundwork of your medical career.
Where the Indian Students are flocking to?
Bangladesh/ Nepal – While the study pattern is the same as Indian Medical colleges and can be taken up by the students, the fee structure is not up to the mark compared to the infrastructure provided. In fact, if you are thinking to pursue your MBBS from Bangladesh, you can do the same by enrolling in any of the private medical colleges in India, as it will cost you the same.
Caribbean – Flying to the Caribbean has become an alternative for most of the students from India and the USA who wish to study medicine but have to abandon their dreams due to the high fee structure of the colleges. With the fee structure as low as approx. $55k-$60k, the Caribbean gives you an option to move to the USA and do a residency there. Preferably, join a college like Texila which gives you flexible options to change tracks between US & India, just in case you change your mind post admissions.
Russia / Kyrgyzstan / Ukraine / Georgia – USSR nations have been facing a severe crunch in the number of incoming students. Learning the local language for survival as well as to pursue clinical rotations remains the main barricade. Though they provide a cheap fee structure which ranges from INR 15 to 30 lakhs; lack of Indian embassy and low MCI pass ratio along with poor reputation act as added drawbacks.
China – While the cost of pursuing MBBS in China is affordable and comparatively very low, many international students are often seen complaining about lack of practical learning as they can’t touch patients during their clinical rotations. Moreover, one needs to learn Mandarin compulsorily in order to communicate with the patients during their clinical rotations. Also, many Medicine programs in China require foreign students to fulfill the Chinese proficiency (HSK) test before graduating. Adding up to the consequences, the Indian Embassy has recently warned the students about the non-recognizable degree provided by several medical schools in China.
Philippines – In terms of budget, Philippines is quite convenient as it ranges from 12 Lakh to 30 Lakh. But, you can’t overlook the other side of the coin; in Philippines’ medical colleges, you will have to spend the first two years in Pre-medical followed by the NMAT exam to enter the Medicine Program. The exam is not only competitive, but even passing the exam doesn’t guarantee you a seat as the first preference is always given to the citizens.
What can we Infer?
One way or the other, each and every country has its perks and some loose ends as well. If you are an Indian student and in a hunt of the best country to Study MBBS abroad, you can definitely stick to the Caribbean as the best option. To substantiate the same, we have listed some of the factors below:
1. Favorable Climatic Conditions – The most important thing for Indian Students is the climatic conditions when they move abroad. The weather in the Caribbean is mostly tropical like India making the disease pattern 93% similar to that of India.
2. Clinical Rotations in the US – The Caribbean has a cluster of Top Medical colleges that have a substantial clinical affiliate throughout the United States.
3. Affordable Colleges – The Medical Colleges in the Caribbean do not have their fee structure as low as China or Russia but, if you prefer quality of the education over fee structure then Caribbean is the best option. However, it is way more affordable than Indian Medical colleges as they do not demand any donation or capitation fees.
4. Support in Cracking USMLE – Caribbean Medical Universities provides a higher education standard along with more developed facilities to the students so they can easily crack USMLE and get into the USA.
Parameters for the Selection of Best Country to Study MBBS Abroad
Choosing the best country for pursuing MBBS is definitely not a piece of cake. You need to set multiple parameters before finalizing the one. Keep the below factors in mind before you make your mind for a country:
- Check if the college is MCI recognized and simultaneously, the FMGE pass % of the college
- Enquire well about the education system, duration, and program language (must be English)
- Check your compatibility with the climatic conditions
- If you are an Indian foodie, check for the availability of Indian cuisine in the college
- Determine the Safety aspects for international students
- Check if the college provides any inbuilt training programs (such as USMLE, FMGE/NEXT)
- Clinical rotation is a vital part of your degree; find out whether the college provides a proper exposure.
Final Words
If you have made up your mind to move out of India and study Medicine, you need to be very calculative and wise simultaneously. Every year, a lot of students go abroad to pursue their MBBS/MD, but not everyone gets their dream career as they had expected. Don’t let your dreams shatter! Choose a college that is budget-friendly but doesn’t compromise with the education standard at the same time.
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